Lara Croft's New Project
by deepsearchjaqueline
Summary: After an accident, Lara, Hillary and Bryce re-evaluate their relationship. Non-action story with possible LaraHillary and LaraBryce in future chapters.
1. One

Disclaimer: Characters and places are not my own.

A/N: I have no idea what the interest in a non-action story about Lara and Bryce is, but after watching the films I wanted to read one and couldn't find any, so I figured I'd write one myself. This is my first Tomb Raider fic and feedback would be much appreciated. Hope you enjoy!

**Lara Croft's New Project**

**Chapter One**

Lara Croft returned her twin 45's to their holsters and bounded up the back garden path into Croft Manor. She came upon Hillary in the hall and couldn't keep the sheer enjoyment from her face.

"Ran them all off. Good fun, wouldn't you say?"

The butler raised an eyebrow and gazed over the shattered glass and splintered wood that littered the floor. This little break-in was going to be a nightmare to clean up. And it was becoming all too common an occurrence, as far as he was concerned. But the Lady herself did not seem to share this concern, he noted. In fact, she looked positively cheerful.

"You have always had an interesting definition of 'fun,' Lara."

Lara smiled and pushed a stray wisp of hair from her face. "Now, then, where is Bryce?"

"Having a good cry, I would imagine. Or will be, once he sees what they've done to his computers."

They were walking back toward the ballroom, side-stepping the larger bits of debris along the way.

"I'm surprised he didn't see," Lara commented as they turned the corner, "I thought he was out here when the attack started.

Hillary was puzzled. "I think he _was_ here at one point. I haven't seen him in some time, though. It does get a bit confusing when there's all the smoke and bombs and guns going off."

"Hmm." Lara didn't quite agree. She found it rather easy to keep her focus in situations like that, exhilarating, really, but she did have to remind herself that not everyone felt this way, least of all her two closest friends. They handled it well enough, though, compared to average people. Anything could become normal, she supposed, after it happened enough times.

They entered the ballroom and Lara headed toward the annexed tech room where Bryce's painstakingly set up bank of monitors and equipment was now a pile of shattered and smoldering circuitry and housing. A small grenade of some sort had gone astray during the attack. It had caused an impressive explosion when it contacted with the equipment bank and it would no doubt take weeks to repair the damage.

"Poor Bryce," she murmured but didn't feel too sorry. He would enjoy having a go at all the complex rebuilding and programming, she imagined. It was the sort of thing he tended to complain about but in secret quite liked. They were similar in that way, both needing to be busy at all times.

She kicked at the still-twitching remains of something robotic then froze.

There was a familiar skinny, tattooed arm sticking out from amongst the wreckage.

"Hillary," Lara instructed sharply, "Come quickly. I've found Bryce."

* * *

Hillary carried Bryce's limp body quickly to the nearest of the bedrooms, Lara following right behind him. He wasn't sure whether or not he should move him when he was unconscious, but with the computer equipment smoldering and sparking and smoke still so heavy in the air, Hillary reasoned that it was for the best.

His mind marveled briefly over how light a burden Bryce was. Hillary had always been passingly aware that Bryce was a small fellow, the same way one notices that someone is tall or has dark eyes, but he had never really _noticed_ it until now. It seemed that somehow Bryce's strong personality made him come off as larger than he really was. At the moment, with that mouth of his silenced, he felt very small.

These thoughts disappeared as Hillary set Bryce down upon the bed and began assessing his injuries.

"Should I call for an ambulance?"

Hillary glanced up but then immediately focused his attention away. There was genuine fear in Lara's eyes and he couldn't stomach that directly at the moment.

"There will be questions," he muttered.

Lara nodded and folded her arms. "You can help with the immediate injuries, then?"

Hillary was checking Bryce's arm for a fracture with one hand and examining the wound on his scalp with the other. "He's going to need stitches."

"You've sewn me up more times than I care to remember."

The slightest smile passed over Hillary's square jaw, then was gone. "I can take care of that and get him bandaged up, but it's best if he does get a go-over by a professional to make certain there aren't any damages we can't see."

"Dr. Battenly."

"His number is in your office. In the rolodex to the left of your atlas of Cairo and just in front of your gilded throwing knife."

"Right."

Hillary took a deep breath once Lara had gone. It had only been a matter of time before something like this happened. He would never say such a thing out loud, of course. Lara was already taking this situation too much to heart.

He produced a small leather case from his suit jacket and from it took a slim but sharp pair of steel scissors. Then he smiled sadly at the tech. He was going to have to cut away at some of that great mess of hair in order to have a clear area to suture. Bryce was not going to be happy about that.

* * *

Bryce awoke with a terrible headache and no idea where he was. As he realized from the wood paneling and classic style of the furniture that he must be in one of the bedrooms at Croft Manor, he fantasized momentarily that it was Lara's room. Perhaps he'd sleepwalked in. But then, if that were true, he wouldn't be alive at this moment. Must not be true, then. Pity. He started to roll over but a hand shot out to hold him back.

"Don't move."

Bryce squinted. "Lara?"

"Yes."

"It's better if you don't move, Bryce." Hillary stepped forward and adjusted a bandage on the tech's forehead.

Bryce frowned up at him, then glared back at Lara. "Would you care to tell me what's going on, Lara-love?"

"You were injured during the attack. It was my fault. I was having too much fun with them. I should have just gotten them out as quickly as possible."

"Ah," recognition entered the tech's expression slowly as he remembered what had happened before he lost consciousness, "Was it the crystal they were after?"

"I assume so."

"Did they get it?"

"Of course not. They'll have to try a lot harder than that. But it was probably for the better that they showed up when they did. I have a feeling they won't be trying again."

"That's a girl." Bryce smiled, then winced slightly at the pain in his head. "What's the damage, then?" He asked, trying his best not to let on to his discomfort.

"The ballroom and main hall will need some straightening up, some glass will need to be replaced, some hedges will need to be replanted in the gardens, five or six computers destroyed, several monitors, Great-Aunt Hilda's china lamps, and of course…one badly injured tech."

"That system'll take weeks to get back up."

"Well, once you make a full recovery, I'll see that you get started on that."

Bryce sneered at this and picked up his arm in order to examine the sling that it was hanging in. The movement caused him pain, though and he decided to let it stay where it was.

"So, what's the damage to me, then? Bum arm, it looks like, an' a headache."

"Concussion," Hillary corrected.

"You also have some lacerations from the shrapnel," Lara added, "a dislocated shoulder from when you fell and what appears to be a fractured fibia, as well as three broken fingers and a sprained wrist . Hillary fixed up what he could and gave you some stitches."

"Thanks, mate."

Hillary nodded and looked away. Bryce could almost swear that he was blushing. The butler had many talents but did not often seem comfortable taking complements on them.

Lara smiled, proud of Hillary as well. "Of course, we've a physician on his way to come have a look at you, just to be certain that there's nothing we've missed, but I believe with Hillary and I watching over you, you'll soon be good as new. You're quite lucky, you know, to have gotten through that explosion with only the injuries that you have."

"Me mum always said I had a thick skull."

"How fortunate for all of us."

"Now, hold up, Lara," Bryce raised an eyebrow as he suddenly thought of something, "You said tha' you and Hilly are goin' to be helping me out?"

"That's right."

"An that it'll take a few weeks?"

"If not a bit more for some of your more serious injuries, yes."

"But you're supposed to be leavin' for Taipei tomorrow."

"Mmm."

He looked at her suspiciously. "So are you plannin' on carting me up in one o' your mad planes and taking me with you like this?"

"Of course not. Taipei will have to wait."

"But the crystal…"

"Will wait."

"Now, that doesn't sound right. Lady Lara does not let things wait."

"When it's a matter of the health of one of my dear friends, a silly crystal and a temple can surely wait. They've been there for 8,000 years. They can wait a few more weeks."

Bryce eyed her, not quite buying her indifference, though secretly, he was rather touched. "But it was your pet project."

"I've got a new project."

"Yeah? What's that, now? You researching something else? Maybe I can help you. Can probably still type with one o' me hands."

"No, Bryce." Lara smiled devilishly. "_You_ are my new project."


	2. Two

**Lara Croft's New Project**

**Chapter Two**

"Lara, my dear, it's good to see you."

"And you as well." Lara greeted the distinguished old doctor with a hug. He had been the Croft family's private physician since before she was born and she was very glad to see him this moment.

"How are you getting on? You look no worse for wear after last night's event."

Lara smiled and showed off the large but shallow cut she'd received on her forearm.

"Ah," the old man nodded, "I'll be taking a look at that after I see to your friend. What sort of a patient have I to look forward to, by the way?"

"A very grumpy one," Hillary replied, stepping out into the hallway from Bryce's temporary room and shutting the door firmly behind him. "He's not at all pleased to be stuck in bed."

"That's funny," Lara murmured, "Normally you can't get him out of one."

"Doesn't sound like your sort at all, Lara," Dr. Battenly commented, glancing at Hillary, who nodded a solemn greeting. He had trained for several years under the doctor and been a very satisfying pupil, so much so that Battenly had never quite forgiven him for not going on to become a full-fledge physician. Hillary did not regret it—he knew that his true calling was here at the Manor, but it did leave him a bit uncomfortable at moments like this.

"He does grow on you," Lara smiled, leading Dr. Battenly into the bedroom, "despite his very best efforts."

Bryce was glaring at them from his bed when they entered the room. His hair was stuck up in a more mad array of tufts than usual, accentuating the patch that had been hurriedly snipped away just a few hours ago, the large bandage sitting like a target right upon it. The splint on his left leg and the wrap on the ankle of his right forced him to sit awkwardly. He looked entirely uncomfortable and exhausted.

"How are we feeling?" The doctor asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed and opening up his old fashioned medical bag.

"Like I been run over by a lorry."

The old man smiled. "That sounds about right."

"And then the driver decided to back up and run over my carcass a few more time for the good fun of it."

"Might have some tablets for that sort of thing."

Bryce frowned but said no more as the doctor began his examination. Lara and Hillary watched with interest from the settee, but Battenly found nothing that they hadn't already and confirmed what they had guessed.

"That's a good bit of suturing," he noted as he examined the head wound.

Hillary thanked him quietly for the complement.

Bryce looked at Hillary, then back at the doctor. "Did you teach him that bit?"

"Yes. Long ago."

"Well, I'm glad you did."

"You were very lucky." The doctor sat back then and peered at the tech. "Tell me, my lad, what do you eat for breakfast?"

Bryce smirked at being called a lad and shrugged. "Coffee, most days."

"And for dinner?"

"Usually pretty busy by then. So just coffee or a Coke. Liquid lunch."

"And supper?"

"Ah, that's cappuccino time _and_ whatever Hilly's cooked up. Or if I'm too busy an I don't want to leave me trailer, I just have another Coke again. Or a coffee. Drink o' the gods, it is. Ask Lara about the Incas. She'll tell ye."

The doctor looked at him incredulously and shook his head. "I'm taking you off caffeine for the duration. No more coffee, soft drinks or sugar, for that matter."

Bryce's eyes nearly popped out of his head but the doctor paid no attention and continued.

"Mr. Hillary will make sure that you have three nutritious meals a day prepared and I'm certain that Lara will not have a problem making sure that you eat them. I want you to have plenty of vegetables and protein. Your body's going to need something of substance to heal itself on. Do you understand?"

Battenly turned to Lara and Hillary for confirmation. Lara, torn between laughing at Bryce's expression and feeling sorry for him, cleared her throat and nodded. After a beat, Hillary nodded as well.

"Good. And do _you_ understand?" The doctor turned back to Bryce.

Stunned speechless, it took Bryce a moment to remember how to work his voice. Then he closed his eyes and grumbled.

"Don't have much choice, do I?"

"You have none. It is an order."

"Guess I understand, then."

"Right." The doctor rummaged in his bag and shortly produced a few bottles of pills. "These are some tablets to take for the pain. It is going to get worse before it gets better, I'm afraid."

"Smashing."

"There's some antibiotics as well to ward off infection. You can take those yourself, but I would advise you let Mr. Hillary administer the pain medication. I will explain the dosage to him and leave written instruction."

"I can take my own pills, thanks."

"There are some very…potent…pain medications there. I never advise a patient to self-administer them."

"You think I'm going to have a bit of fun?" Bryce looked extremely offended. He'd never been into that sort of scene.

"No. But I do think you're going to be in a great amount of pain and it would be better to not let yourself be tempted to take an extra pill. That could be very dangerous."

"Right. Brilliant. Thanks. Can I sleep in peace now?"

"Yes," the doctor stood and gathered up his things, "That will be the best thing for you at the moment. Get plenty of rest and don't try to do too much right away. Let your work wait a bit. That you make a proper recovery is far more important, I assure you. Incidentally, what sort of work do you do around here? I don't think I've been told."

"I'm Lara's body guard," Bryce said dryly, "Couldn't you tell?"

* * *

Hillary hummed cheerfully to himself as his julienned the carrots and scraped them into the wok. He caught Lara out of the corner of his eye, though, and stopped. He turned to where she sat pensively on the wooden butcher block and took her hand gently.

"He's going to be fine."

She smiled and shooed him back to his work. "I know."

"And it's not your fault."

She gave him another patronizing smile but didn't reply.

Hillary hesitated, watching her a moment longer, then returned his attention to the stir-fry.

"Bryce and I are grown men, Lara. No one forces us to stay here."

"Yes. And I shouldn't repay that loyalty by allowing you to be put in danger."

"We're both well aware of the risks."

"Hmm." Lara plucked an orange from the hanging basket and began to toy with it. "How long has Bryce been with us now?"

Hillary tapped his chin as he considered the thought. "Since you contracted him to upgrade your security system or since he put blocks under his tires and set up permanent camp in the rose garden?"

"Weren't they one and the same?"

"I believe he originally quoted that he could have the work done in a week."

"That's right. I remember now. I came back from Bulgaria and he was still here. I was furious."

"He just kept adding things. I couldn't stop him."

"Of course you couldn't. That's why I went to have a talk with him in his trailer…"

"And you saw those little creatures of his and you decided to keep him."

"I thought he might be useful to have around."

"You wanted a robot of your own."

"That too." Lara laughed and Hillary felt better. That was always a welcome sound. Things had a tendency to become too tense in this house at times. He picked up his humming once more and finished cooking lunch while Lara daydreamed. When he set out two plates on a tray before her she looked puzzled.

"Two, Hilly?"

"You need to eat as well."

"Oh," she nodded and accepted the tray, preparing to take it in to Bryce's room, "Thanks."

Hillary watched her go and shook his head. He often wondered whether the other two members of this household would starve to death were he to ever take a holiday.

* * *

"I'm not hungry," Bryce growled as Lara woke him with the tray.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," She said and began to set up his bed tray across his lap.

"I said I'm not hungry."

"Beg your pardon?"

"You're wasting your time."

"You're going to have to speak up, I'm afraid." She finished setting up the meal and held out a knife and fork for him to take.

He sighed and grabbed them with his good hand, setting them down immediately. "Just leave the tray, then. I'll eat when I'm hungry."

"It will be cold by then."

"I like my…" He looked down at the food and raised an eyebrow, "meat and veggie things…cold."

"Well I don't. Hand me my plate, please."

Bryce smirked, thinking he had won and handed one of the two plates off to her. "Will you move the tray, then, so I can sleep?"

"You can move it yourself."

He cocked his head at the sling on one hand and numerous bandages on the other. "I'm not functioning exactly right enough to lift the whole thing myself at the moment."

Lara shrugged. "Oh, well. Guess you'll just have to eat your dinner now."

"Lara."

"Bryce."

"Lara, please. I just want to sleep."

"Eat your food and you can."

"Lara!"

Lara shot Bryce an icy glare that caused an involuntary chill to run up his spine. He said no more and began to pick at the food, muttering under his breath.

Lara ignored him and ate her meal with a false expression of utter delight. She wasn't really hungry either, but she had to set a good example. She was hoping to see him make a fair bit of progress on his meal before she breeched the conversation, but after fifteen minutes had passed and he was still only picking, she gave up and started talking.

"How long have you been here, Bryce?"

"I'm still workin' on that security system, Lara. I'll it finished any day now."

"I imagine you'll have it done just about the time I settle into retirement."

Bryce laughed (finally, Lara thought) and shoved a forkful of broccoli into his mouth. He talked as he chewed. "Be six years in March. An now that we're on the subject, I been meaning to talk to you about something."

"Yes?" Lara leaned forward.

"Retinal scanners!" Bryce gestured as expansively as he could manage with his bandaged hands. "We're really woefully behind the times not having any as part of our regular home security regime. I was thinking we could start by setting some up at both the front and back gates. No one gets in who isn't in the database."

"What if they hop the walls?"

"Hmm." He paused to consider this. "I'll have to work on that…"

Lara shook her head impatiently. She was constantly having conversations like this with Bryce. For the moment she wished to discuss something different.

"So it's been six years."

"I could possibly set up some sort of a sensor…an advancement on what we currently have, of course. I wonder if I could modify a heat sensor to detect specific DNA codes…"

"Six years and you've never once taken a holiday."

Bryce tore himself away from his train of thought and frowned at her. "Why would I take a holiday? I love my work."

"Yes, but that's just the problem. You're always working."

"Oh, you're one to be talking."

"But my work takes me all over the world. Wouldn't you like to get out more?"

"I just went to Africa."

"You were forced there at gunpoint."

"All right. Siberia then."

"You had a miserable time."

"The dog sledding was good fun."

Lara sighed in frustration. "Isn't there anything _you'd_ like to do?"

"I've always thought one of the week at fighter pilot camp set-ups would be exciting."

"You mean like little children go to on summer holiday?"

"I'm sure they have them for adults too." Bryce looked hurt and Lara felt bad.

"Well," she said, "wouldn't you like to just go out and meet some people sometime? Maybe meet a nice girl?" She almost winced as she heard herself speak. She wasn't exactly comfortable discussing this sort of thing.

Bryce looked even more uncomfortable. In fact, his ears were blushing crimson.

"I, uh, have a lady friend that I see now and then when I go into the village, if that's what you're on about."

"You mean when you steal my TVR?"

"It needs to be driven, Lara. You can't just leave a car like that parked in the garage all year long. The gears'll stiffen up."

Lara smiled, glad to be onto another subject, even if she hadn't managed to resolve the former. "Don't the gears stiffen up on a Mini as well?"

"Let them. Who wants to drive a Mini?"

Lara raised her eyebrows and stood up then. "I'm glad you finished your dinner," she said, taking his emptied tray. He looked down at the cleared plate with surprise.

She patted his head gently, then knelt and placed a small, foil-wrapped package in his good hand. Chocolate. He looked up at her gratefully. He had a terrible sweet tooth and they both knew it.

"Thanks, Lara."

"Just don't tell Hillary or he'll have my head."

Bryce grinned, unwrapped the chocolate and popped it in his mouth. "Contraband. My favorite flavor."


End file.
